By Zach Ewing

zewing@joplinglobe.com

COMMERCE, Okla. — Just in case Commerce started to think this business of winning a district was easy, Ketchum was there to serve as a reminder.

The Warriors recovered three muffed onside kicks, three other fumbles and a held the ball for nearly the entire fourth quarter. Still, Commerce came away with a 38-31 victory and its sixth straight district championship Friday night at Tiger Stadium.

“That’s what I said: ‘Boy, it was ugly, but a win’s a win,’ ” Commerce coach Mitchell Crittenden said.

Commerce defensive back Josh Pilkinton broke up a fourth-down pass in the end zone with two minutes to go to preserve the victory.

James Sullivan led a Commerce running game that was unstoppable — when the Tigers held onto the ball, that is — with 212 yards and three touchdowns on 24 carries. The Tigers ran for 294 yards, using fakes and misdirections all night long.

“It can be hard to stop,” Sullivan said. “You don’t know who’s getting the ball; it’s going everywhere.”

The victory was the Tigers’ 42nd straight in Class A district play. After a bye week, they'll open the playoffs in two weeks at home against a fourth-place team from District A-8.

This one might have had more momentum swings than the first 41 combined. Commerce (7-2 overall, 6-0 District A-7) stretched a five-point halftime lead into a 38-19 edge with two third-quarter touchdowns, but Ketchum (6-2, 4-1) fought back.

“We let them back in,” Crittenden said. “But give them credit. They came right back.”

The Warriors scored on a 49-yard touchdown pass from Harrison Kay to Jake Brown with 3:48 to play in the third quarter, forced Commerce into a three-and-out and then marched 70 yards in 15 plays to cut the lead to 38-31 with 7:54 left. Kay capped the drive with a 13-yard TD scamper.

Ketchum made an extra point on its first touchdown but tried for a two-point conversion on each of its other four touchdowns. The Tigers stuffed it each time.

But Ketchum’s P.J. Johnson quick-kicked the ensuing kickoff. For the third time in the game, it bounced off a Commerce player and Ketchum recovered.

“We got richocheted off,” Crittenden said. “I don’t know how many times we coached not to stand directly in front of the kicker.”